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Franklin N STATS BISTDRICIL SOCTCTT COLUSSU MO. THE MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED WEEKLY NEWSPAPER IN FRANKLIN COUNTY Established in the Year 1865 UNION, FRANKLIN COUNTY, MISSOURI, FRIDAY, MAY 14, 1954 VOLUME 89 No. 11 UMTV COURT county Q) BU CO FREEZE E MS m FARMERS MEET, ORGANIZE NEW SPONSOR GROUP WORK OF AGENT PRAISED BY MEN FROM ALL OVER COUNTY Names of First 106 Who Signed As Members Given In one of the strongest expressions of public sentiment on a Franklin County issue in many years, more than a hundred farmers and businessmen from every corner of the county gauierca in uie circuit courtroom at Union Monday night to protest the firing of Cal Burgett by the MFA, and to form a new extension sponsoring group, Out of the meeting came an organization bent on signing up every farmer in the county, regardless of affiliation, who is imeresiea in oener iarmmg ana Better Extension. A total of 106 persons signed the original membership list and paid annual uuus vl ov cents. In tne crowd were approximately 80 rank and file members of the MFA, and several who have been influential in that group heretofore. The meeting opened under the direction of Dick Robinson, Labadie stockman, who acted as temporary chairman. The group heard early from Presiding Judge Otto BuchholU, and Judges Cowan and Wagner, on the court's stand In the removal of Burgett, and the method in which it was done by the MFA board. Expenses of operating the local Extension office were explained by court members, who pointed out that no other organization contributed funds to its maintenance.Agent Burgett,' "who was "re moved, from the county two weeks ago by the MFA, was high ly praised for his work here since he came in July, last year. Many testimonials were given in behalf of tus ability and non-partisan work with all farmers of the county. ! "We don't want him replaced, we want him retained," was the sentiment expressed by Frank Highley, Sullivan, which seemed to be the consensus of the entire assembly. Toward the end of the two-hour meeting, a standing vote by everyone in the room indicated all wanted Burgett returned to Union. V Others in the group said they had heard no charges against Burgett, and that the only dissension they had heard of was with the board of MFA. "Who elected that board, and why?" were some of the questions asked by the farmers.!' Others expressed themselves strongly against the methods used to fire the agent,' pointing out that "any man in this country is entitled to a trial, and Cal should be given a hearing!" One member of the county court said he felt the "MFA had (Continued on Page 2A) Names of the persons who at tended the meeting Monday night to protest the firing of Cal Bur, gett as Franklin County Extension Agent, and who signed up as members in the new organization seeking better Extension for the county, appear below. The list totals 106 farmers, businessmen, farmer - merchants, and farm wives. It was the beginning pf a group wnicn nopes to become the Ex tension sponsoring body for the county. - . ; ... Each paid the 50 cents annual membership dues and each signed the following statement: "We the undersigned farmers and businessmen and women o f Franklin County, hereby subscribe for membership in the Franklin County Extension Association and agree to pay annual dues of 50 cents, with the understanding and agreement that the association in close cooperation with the county court of Franklin County, will sponsor county extension work in Franklin County, according to the rules .and regulations established by the state extension offices in Columbia, Missouri, and the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D. C." ' Heading the roster of business men and other non-farmers, and those who professed both occupations, were the three members of the Franklin County Court, in cluding Otto Buchholtz, New Haven, who listed farming, business and county judge; William Cowan, Union; and Orville O. Wagner, Washington. One mayor is on the list. He is George H. Bade of Berger. (Continued on Page 2A) Officers of New Group Check Memberships, Dues 1 r-jf-i r. MV-"- jst.AS2v rjrwj V"1'.:tvv---:-j si? JTf' II .J ., : :" ' ... 01l'kjr' Htuilta Shown checking over membership lists and counting money collected at the Monday night meeting of farmers and businessmen here, are the officers elected th;;t night, with members of the County Court looking on. Officers are, at table, left, James Thomacezk, Sullivan, vice-president; George Saum, Villa Ridge, secretary; and Carl Pittinger, Labadie, president. The new group, which hopes to be the Extension sponsoring body in the county, was named the Franklin County Extension Association. Judges are: Presiding Judge Otto Buccholtz, left, Orville Wagner and Wm. Cowan. Six Washington Youths Arrested as Sheriff Solves Missing Lumber Case f Harold Roller, 14, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Roller, St. Clair, was badly burned about 8 p. m. Tuesday when kerosene or gasoline being used to' burn tar out of a bucket exploded on him. ; A member of the Eighth Grade ferred te the juvenile division of .magistrate court, being under agesli"!, g f ' ,ItV. w? Sentence on Charles Eekelkamn. . ' . " tortring on a boat.ith friends . . rt r i , . The mystery of two farm buildings west of Washington which disappeared plank by plank over the past six months was solved by Sheriff Bill Miller and ended in the arrest Saturday of six Washington youths who entered a plea of guilty to a charge of malicious mischief in magistrate court that same day. Wllliem Eckelkamp, Wayne Yenzer and James Wildt were trans- Herbert Walters and Keith Tobcn was deferred until May '22 while magistrate Randolph H. Schaper has the case under advisement. Julius Lindauer, farmer living west of Washington, reported to the sheriff last week that a build ing on his property burned to the ground a week ago Friday night and explained that windows, sid, ing and lumber from the house had been mysteriously disappear ing during the past few months. Another farmer in the vicinity told of a shed used for storage which he found completely dis mantled and piled neatly on the ground and which was later removed in spite of his efforts to discover what was going on. Examination at the scene of the fire releaved only an old lamp and a number of empty beer cans but recent rains had left the ground near the river muddy and Lindauer, exploring near the place, found tracks which led to clubhouse almost completely hidden by a bluff along the river and built from the stolen lumber. The premises yielded no clue as to the persons who had built the house but Sheriff Miller in pulling off tar paper found a place where one boy had idly in- continued to Page 2A) 3 In Family Hurt As Car Overturns All three members of a University City family were hurt in an accident near Prairie Dell on Highway 50 Sunday afternoon when the car in which they were riding went out of control and over-turned. Injured were John Holohan and Mrs. Holohan, and a daughter, about 4 years old. The child was most seriously hurt of the three. All were taken by ambulance to the St. Francis Hospital, Washington. ST. CLAIR BOY PADLY BURNED back of the Commercial Hotel when the accident happened. . It was reported that the explosion caused his clothes to catch fire, and he was badly burned on the face, chest and left arm, . Dr. Pearl administered first aid and cut the burned clothes off of him and he was rushed to the St 'Francis 'hospital by ambulance. According to Principal Morris Allen, the boy had been asking while in a coma for his diploma. which was to have been handed him during exercises Wednesday. After the graduation, Allen and ten fellow students went to the hospital, but Harold was sleeping. , They left the diploma for him. 42 Seniors to Graduate Here May 21; Baccalaureate to Be Sunday Afternoon Baccalaureate service for the Union High , School graduating class of 42 candidates will be held Sunday, May 16, at 2 pjn. at the high school auditorium, it has been announced, with the follow ing program scheduled Invocation, Rev. Rex Mitchell; Scripture, Rev. Albert Gaebe; Sermon, Rev. Paul Stewart; and Benediction, Rev. Arthur Hall. Show of Hands on Vote to Form flew County Extension Group mm ill v'-r I h - 't yV'Vo "W' (fa VirtuaUy everyone ia the crowd of more than 100 farmers and business men attending the meeting in the Circuit Courtroom here Monday night held up hia hand when the question came: -Should a new sponsoring group fo county extension work be organized?" Following this vote, the group went on to elect officers and wound up the evening with 108 duet-paying members. Farmers from nearly every community in the county were present to protest the firing of Cal Burgett as Franklin county Extension Agent by the counW MFA board. Most of the farmers were MFA members. Commencement will be held Friday, May 21, at 8 p.m. at Mem orial Auditorium, with Dr. Frank L. Eversull, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Belleville, 111., as speaker. Dr. Eversull was raised in East St. Louis, has been principal in Columbia and Troy, Mo., schools, and entered Wash' ington University as a professor in guidance and higher education in 1949. In 1946 he was decorated by King Christian of Denmark, when he was director of the Mid west International - Seminar at Aarhus, Denmark. He also served in Korea as chief of colleges and teachers colleges, 1946-1948. He is now a commentator of radio station WIBV with a program, "The Date Line." Dr, C. C. Benedict will offer the invocation at Commencement Senior class officers are Victor ia Denny, president; Don Lewis, vice-president; Agnes Blgley, secretary; and Natalie Montz, treasurer. ,: Class motto is "Striving to make the best better": colors are blue and white; and class flower is the American Beauty Rose. oeniors will travel this Friday to Pierre Marquette State Park at Grafton, 111., for the annual senior trip. The annual Junlor- aenior Banauct is set for 7 P.m. Tuesday, May 18. Following is a list of the mem bers of the Class of 1954: Leonard Banken. Leslie: Robert Boland, Beaufort; Robert Brauks, Gerald; Milton Buth, Beaufort; Charles Copeland, Kenneth Danz, Donald Duncan, LeRoy Fitzgerald, John Gober, Gerald; Howard Headrkk. Benjamin Jaeger, Ger ald; Robert Jett, Leroy Klepper, Donald Lewis, Earl Logan, Krakow; Ralph Mark. Gerald: Marlin Parker, Roland Phelps, Boyce (Continued to Page 2A) LETTER PROTESTS MFA'S DISCHARGE OF BURGETT Text of Court's Letter to State Extension Head Following is the complete text of the letter from Presiding Judge Otto Buchholtz, New Haven, to J. W. Burch, state director of Ex tension at Columbia, expressing the County Court's : decision to withhold funds from Extension here until the matter of the fir ing of County Agent Burgett is cleared up: , May 7, 1954 Mr. J. W. Burch Director of Extension Columbia, Missouri Dear Mr. Burch: .The County Court of Franklin County has been informed that Mr. Cal Burgett, county extension agent, has been removed from the county at the request of the Franklin County Farmers' Association. This request came to you in a letter, dated April 20, 1954, and was signed by Mr? Paul Duebbert, president of the Missouri Farmers' Association in Franklin County, and several other officers and members of the board of this organiza-tion.We also understand that in the letter to you, the organization asked " that hereafter "you assign an agent to this county that . believes- in the principles of co-operative marketing and purchasing." The County Court of Franklin " County, as you know, has made annual appropriations to pay the salaries and other expenses of the county extension agent's office, and feels that this office should represent and help all farmers in the county, regardless of what farm organization the farmer may belong to, or whether or not he belongs to any such organization.We especially at this time wish to render our protest ia the matter and the position taken in the discharge of Mr. Burgett. We feel that if dissatisfaction existed the same should have been reported to each group that ; is vitally interested. ,. -In view of . this fact, the county court of Franklin County is forced to withhold all appropriations for the county extension, office, effective at once, until such a time that an agent can be secured who will represent all of the farmers of toe county, regardless of . whether the farmer belongs to a farm organization or not. - Sincerely yours, s OTTO BUCHHOLTZ, 'Presiding Judge of the County Court, Franklin County, Mo. State Director Told Appropriations Will De Held Up Pending Scttbnent . Protesting sharply the manner in which County Agent Cal Burgett was fired from his job in this county by members of the MFA, the County Court Friday wrote the state director of Extension in Columbia that it is forced to "withhold all appropriations for the county extension office" until the present matter is settled. All three judges have stated they knew nothing of the firing of Burgett until they read it in county newspapers Thursday. Marking the first time that such dractic action has ever been taken in this county, the wording of the letter signed by Presiding Judge Otto Buchholtz made it clear that the court felt county tax funds were being used by a body that lacked sufficient representation. . All expenses of the county office at Union are paid solely from county tax money, including the Salaries of two secretaries and $1,500 a year toward the salary of the assistant county agent. A total of $7,125 was budgeted by the court for Extension use in 1954. A total of Charge that Agent Started Unit of Farm Bureau Nit Charges that County Agent Cal Burgett, who has been fired by the MFA board of directors, was responsible for the formation of the Farm Bureau in this county have been labeled as- untrue by thtf state president of that farm ers' organization. R. Emmett Slusher, Jefferson City. State Farm Bureau presi dent, said in an article in a St. Louis newspaper this week that the entry of his organization into Franklin ccunty was unrelated to anything with which Burgett was connected. "In my opinion," Slusher' said, "this whole thing is unfortunate and detrimental to the best interests of agriculture in the county. But of more significance to me is the threat to the objectivity of county agents if they stand in the shadow of the threats of such recalls." : ., "We went into Franklin county as part of an overall expansion program started in 1944. At that time we were represented in 57 counties. We have been adding three to five counties yearly since and with Sullivan last week we now have groups in 86 of them. "Officers in Franklin are B. S. West, Sullivan president; Arthur Pehie, New Haven, vice president, and E. A. Janks, Sullivan,secretary-treasurer. Burgett had nothing to do with the organizing. The members had a party about a month ago end he attended but he wasn't introduced. After all, he was put there to work with all groups." ' . $85.10 In county funds was used last year. A tabulation of the appropriation appears elsewhere on this page. : .,. Salary of the county agent ia paid from state and Federal funds on about a 50-50 basis. No other group or organization, particularly the MFA, contributes, any money whatever to the operation of the Tranklin County office, though the appropriations are signed over to (he county MFA group for disbursement. That the County Court would stand fast on their decision to control the situation here, inas- ' much as county funds arc going in to the program, was made certain In a meeting of farmers and merchant Monday ; night, and in a session Tuesday morning with a representative ftf the Extension office in Columbia. In both meetings, all three of the Judges made it clear they would not back down from the position taken in the letter to the state director, despite the fact that the local MFA group has a sponsoring agreement signed between themselves and the state director. It was this agreement that the local MFA group used as an instrument to fire Burgett. It was this agreement that the County MFA board of directors (Continued to Page 2A) BREAKDOWN OF 1954 COUNTY FUNDS FOR EXTENSION GIVEN According to the County Court, here la a breakdown of funds budgeted by it for use of Extension In the county during 1S54. Part of the funds have already been spent The balance will be frozen as of May 24, unless the firing of County Agent Cal Burgett is eleared up by that time: I1500-.TO Asst. Agent's Pay , 2940- Secret rir' Salary 400 Supplies 22& Telephone, telegraph 200 Postage 1810 Travel 50 Equipment $712fr-Total Car Plunges Off Road When Wheel Comes Off I) Robert J. Walton,' M, of Chicago, suffered several broken ribs and other injuries Saturday at 5:30 p. m. when the ear shown above, which he was driving to Springfield, plunged off Highway 68 94 miles west of Twin Bridges into a 10-foot drainage ditch, According to the State Hlshwav Patrol, tha irM rear wheel of the car had come off. Walton was knocked unconscious, and wa removed from the ear,? which had caught fire, by Ft Wood soldiers. Damage to the new car was estimated at $1900. 11m wen taken to St Francis Hospital by ambulance. .

Franklin N STATS BISTDRICIL SOCTCTT COLUSSU MO. THE MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED WEEKLY NEWSPAPER IN FRANKLIN COUNTY Established in the Year 1865 UNION, FRANKLIN COUNTY, MISSOURI, FRIDAY, MAY 14, 1954 VOLUME 89 No. 11 UMTV COURT county Q) BU CO FREEZE E MS m FARMERS MEET, ORGANIZE NEW SPONSOR GROUP WORK OF AGENT PRAISED BY MEN FROM ALL OVER COUNTY Names of First 106 Who Signed As Members Given In one of the strongest expressions of public sentiment on a Franklin County issue in many years, more than a hundred farmers and businessmen from every corner of the county gauierca in uie circuit courtroom at Union Monday night to protest the firing of Cal Burgett by the MFA, and to form a new extension sponsoring group, Out of the meeting came an organization bent on signing up every farmer in the county, regardless of affiliation, who is imeresiea in oener iarmmg ana Better Extension. A total of 106 persons signed the original membership list and paid annual uuus vl ov cents. In tne crowd were approximately 80 rank and file members of the MFA, and several who have been influential in that group heretofore. The meeting opened under the direction of Dick Robinson, Labadie stockman, who acted as temporary chairman. The group heard early from Presiding Judge Otto BuchholU, and Judges Cowan and Wagner, on the court's stand In the removal of Burgett, and the method in which it was done by the MFA board. Expenses of operating the local Extension office were explained by court members, who pointed out that no other organization contributed funds to its maintenance.Agent Burgett,' "who was "re moved, from the county two weeks ago by the MFA, was high ly praised for his work here since he came in July, last year. Many testimonials were given in behalf of tus ability and non-partisan work with all farmers of the county. ! "We don't want him replaced, we want him retained," was the sentiment expressed by Frank Highley, Sullivan, which seemed to be the consensus of the entire assembly. Toward the end of the two-hour meeting, a standing vote by everyone in the room indicated all wanted Burgett returned to Union. V Others in the group said they had heard no charges against Burgett, and that the only dissension they had heard of was with the board of MFA. "Who elected that board, and why?" were some of the questions asked by the farmers.!' Others expressed themselves strongly against the methods used to fire the agent,' pointing out that "any man in this country is entitled to a trial, and Cal should be given a hearing!" One member of the county court said he felt the "MFA had (Continued on Page 2A) Names of the persons who at tended the meeting Monday night to protest the firing of Cal Bur, gett as Franklin County Extension Agent, and who signed up as members in the new organization seeking better Extension for the county, appear below. The list totals 106 farmers, businessmen, farmer - merchants, and farm wives. It was the beginning pf a group wnicn nopes to become the Ex tension sponsoring body for the county. - . ; ... Each paid the 50 cents annual membership dues and each signed the following statement: "We the undersigned farmers and businessmen and women o f Franklin County, hereby subscribe for membership in the Franklin County Extension Association and agree to pay annual dues of 50 cents, with the understanding and agreement that the association in close cooperation with the county court of Franklin County, will sponsor county extension work in Franklin County, according to the rules .and regulations established by the state extension offices in Columbia, Missouri, and the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D. C." ' Heading the roster of business men and other non-farmers, and those who professed both occupations, were the three members of the Franklin County Court, in cluding Otto Buchholtz, New Haven, who listed farming, business and county judge; William Cowan, Union; and Orville O. Wagner, Washington. One mayor is on the list. He is George H. Bade of Berger. (Continued on Page 2A) Officers of New Group Check Memberships, Dues 1 r-jf-i r. MV-"- jst.AS2v rjrwj V"1'.:tvv---:-j si? JTf' II .J ., : :" ' ... 01l'kjr' Htuilta Shown checking over membership lists and counting money collected at the Monday night meeting of farmers and businessmen here, are the officers elected th;;t night, with members of the County Court looking on. Officers are, at table, left, James Thomacezk, Sullivan, vice-president; George Saum, Villa Ridge, secretary; and Carl Pittinger, Labadie, president. The new group, which hopes to be the Extension sponsoring body in the county, was named the Franklin County Extension Association. Judges are: Presiding Judge Otto Buccholtz, left, Orville Wagner and Wm. Cowan. Six Washington Youths Arrested as Sheriff Solves Missing Lumber Case f Harold Roller, 14, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Roller, St. Clair, was badly burned about 8 p. m. Tuesday when kerosene or gasoline being used to' burn tar out of a bucket exploded on him. ; A member of the Eighth Grade ferred te the juvenile division of .magistrate court, being under agesli"!, g f ' ,ItV. w? Sentence on Charles Eekelkamn. . ' . " tortring on a boat.ith friends . . rt r i , . The mystery of two farm buildings west of Washington which disappeared plank by plank over the past six months was solved by Sheriff Bill Miller and ended in the arrest Saturday of six Washington youths who entered a plea of guilty to a charge of malicious mischief in magistrate court that same day. Wllliem Eckelkamp, Wayne Yenzer and James Wildt were trans- Herbert Walters and Keith Tobcn was deferred until May '22 while magistrate Randolph H. Schaper has the case under advisement. Julius Lindauer, farmer living west of Washington, reported to the sheriff last week that a build ing on his property burned to the ground a week ago Friday night and explained that windows, sid, ing and lumber from the house had been mysteriously disappear ing during the past few months. Another farmer in the vicinity told of a shed used for storage which he found completely dis mantled and piled neatly on the ground and which was later removed in spite of his efforts to discover what was going on. Examination at the scene of the fire releaved only an old lamp and a number of empty beer cans but recent rains had left the ground near the river muddy and Lindauer, exploring near the place, found tracks which led to clubhouse almost completely hidden by a bluff along the river and built from the stolen lumber. The premises yielded no clue as to the persons who had built the house but Sheriff Miller in pulling off tar paper found a place where one boy had idly in- continued to Page 2A) 3 In Family Hurt As Car Overturns All three members of a University City family were hurt in an accident near Prairie Dell on Highway 50 Sunday afternoon when the car in which they were riding went out of control and over-turned. Injured were John Holohan and Mrs. Holohan, and a daughter, about 4 years old. The child was most seriously hurt of the three. All were taken by ambulance to the St. Francis Hospital, Washington. ST. CLAIR BOY PADLY BURNED back of the Commercial Hotel when the accident happened. . It was reported that the explosion caused his clothes to catch fire, and he was badly burned on the face, chest and left arm, . Dr. Pearl administered first aid and cut the burned clothes off of him and he was rushed to the St 'Francis 'hospital by ambulance. According to Principal Morris Allen, the boy had been asking while in a coma for his diploma. which was to have been handed him during exercises Wednesday. After the graduation, Allen and ten fellow students went to the hospital, but Harold was sleeping. , They left the diploma for him. 42 Seniors to Graduate Here May 21; Baccalaureate to Be Sunday Afternoon Baccalaureate service for the Union High , School graduating class of 42 candidates will be held Sunday, May 16, at 2 pjn. at the high school auditorium, it has been announced, with the follow ing program scheduled Invocation, Rev. Rex Mitchell; Scripture, Rev. Albert Gaebe; Sermon, Rev. Paul Stewart; and Benediction, Rev. Arthur Hall. Show of Hands on Vote to Form flew County Extension Group mm ill v'-r I h - 't yV'Vo "W' (fa VirtuaUy everyone ia the crowd of more than 100 farmers and business men attending the meeting in the Circuit Courtroom here Monday night held up hia hand when the question came: -Should a new sponsoring group fo county extension work be organized?" Following this vote, the group went on to elect officers and wound up the evening with 108 duet-paying members. Farmers from nearly every community in the county were present to protest the firing of Cal Burgett as Franklin county Extension Agent by the counW MFA board. Most of the farmers were MFA members. Commencement will be held Friday, May 21, at 8 p.m. at Mem orial Auditorium, with Dr. Frank L. Eversull, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Belleville, 111., as speaker. Dr. Eversull was raised in East St. Louis, has been principal in Columbia and Troy, Mo., schools, and entered Wash' ington University as a professor in guidance and higher education in 1949. In 1946 he was decorated by King Christian of Denmark, when he was director of the Mid west International - Seminar at Aarhus, Denmark. He also served in Korea as chief of colleges and teachers colleges, 1946-1948. He is now a commentator of radio station WIBV with a program, "The Date Line." Dr, C. C. Benedict will offer the invocation at Commencement Senior class officers are Victor ia Denny, president; Don Lewis, vice-president; Agnes Blgley, secretary; and Natalie Montz, treasurer. ,: Class motto is "Striving to make the best better": colors are blue and white; and class flower is the American Beauty Rose. oeniors will travel this Friday to Pierre Marquette State Park at Grafton, 111., for the annual senior trip. The annual Junlor- aenior Banauct is set for 7 P.m. Tuesday, May 18. Following is a list of the mem bers of the Class of 1954: Leonard Banken. Leslie: Robert Boland, Beaufort; Robert Brauks, Gerald; Milton Buth, Beaufort; Charles Copeland, Kenneth Danz, Donald Duncan, LeRoy Fitzgerald, John Gober, Gerald; Howard Headrkk. Benjamin Jaeger, Ger ald; Robert Jett, Leroy Klepper, Donald Lewis, Earl Logan, Krakow; Ralph Mark. Gerald: Marlin Parker, Roland Phelps, Boyce (Continued to Page 2A) LETTER PROTESTS MFA'S DISCHARGE OF BURGETT Text of Court's Letter to State Extension Head Following is the complete text of the letter from Presiding Judge Otto Buchholtz, New Haven, to J. W. Burch, state director of Ex tension at Columbia, expressing the County Court's : decision to withhold funds from Extension here until the matter of the fir ing of County Agent Burgett is cleared up: , May 7, 1954 Mr. J. W. Burch Director of Extension Columbia, Missouri Dear Mr. Burch: .The County Court of Franklin County has been informed that Mr. Cal Burgett, county extension agent, has been removed from the county at the request of the Franklin County Farmers' Association. This request came to you in a letter, dated April 20, 1954, and was signed by Mr? Paul Duebbert, president of the Missouri Farmers' Association in Franklin County, and several other officers and members of the board of this organiza-tion.We also understand that in the letter to you, the organization asked " that hereafter "you assign an agent to this county that . believes- in the principles of co-operative marketing and purchasing." The County Court of Franklin " County, as you know, has made annual appropriations to pay the salaries and other expenses of the county extension agent's office, and feels that this office should represent and help all farmers in the county, regardless of what farm organization the farmer may belong to, or whether or not he belongs to any such organization.We especially at this time wish to render our protest ia the matter and the position taken in the discharge of Mr. Burgett. We feel that if dissatisfaction existed the same should have been reported to each group that ; is vitally interested. ,. -In view of . this fact, the county court of Franklin County is forced to withhold all appropriations for the county extension, office, effective at once, until such a time that an agent can be secured who will represent all of the farmers of toe county, regardless of . whether the farmer belongs to a farm organization or not. - Sincerely yours, s OTTO BUCHHOLTZ, 'Presiding Judge of the County Court, Franklin County, Mo. State Director Told Appropriations Will De Held Up Pending Scttbnent . Protesting sharply the manner in which County Agent Cal Burgett was fired from his job in this county by members of the MFA, the County Court Friday wrote the state director of Extension in Columbia that it is forced to "withhold all appropriations for the county extension office" until the present matter is settled. All three judges have stated they knew nothing of the firing of Burgett until they read it in county newspapers Thursday. Marking the first time that such dractic action has ever been taken in this county, the wording of the letter signed by Presiding Judge Otto Buchholtz made it clear that the court felt county tax funds were being used by a body that lacked sufficient representation. . All expenses of the county office at Union are paid solely from county tax money, including the Salaries of two secretaries and $1,500 a year toward the salary of the assistant county agent. A total of $7,125 was budgeted by the court for Extension use in 1954. A total of Charge that Agent Started Unit of Farm Bureau Nit Charges that County Agent Cal Burgett, who has been fired by the MFA board of directors, was responsible for the formation of the Farm Bureau in this county have been labeled as- untrue by thtf state president of that farm ers' organization. R. Emmett Slusher, Jefferson City. State Farm Bureau presi dent, said in an article in a St. Louis newspaper this week that the entry of his organization into Franklin ccunty was unrelated to anything with which Burgett was connected. "In my opinion," Slusher' said, "this whole thing is unfortunate and detrimental to the best interests of agriculture in the county. But of more significance to me is the threat to the objectivity of county agents if they stand in the shadow of the threats of such recalls." : ., "We went into Franklin county as part of an overall expansion program started in 1944. At that time we were represented in 57 counties. We have been adding three to five counties yearly since and with Sullivan last week we now have groups in 86 of them. "Officers in Franklin are B. S. West, Sullivan president; Arthur Pehie, New Haven, vice president, and E. A. Janks, Sullivan,secretary-treasurer. Burgett had nothing to do with the organizing. The members had a party about a month ago end he attended but he wasn't introduced. After all, he was put there to work with all groups." ' . $85.10 In county funds was used last year. A tabulation of the appropriation appears elsewhere on this page. : .,. Salary of the county agent ia paid from state and Federal funds on about a 50-50 basis. No other group or organization, particularly the MFA, contributes, any money whatever to the operation of the Tranklin County office, though the appropriations are signed over to (he county MFA group for disbursement. That the County Court would stand fast on their decision to control the situation here, inas- ' much as county funds arc going in to the program, was made certain In a meeting of farmers and merchant Monday ; night, and in a session Tuesday morning with a representative ftf the Extension office in Columbia. In both meetings, all three of the Judges made it clear they would not back down from the position taken in the letter to the state director, despite the fact that the local MFA group has a sponsoring agreement signed between themselves and the state director. It was this agreement that the local MFA group used as an instrument to fire Burgett. It was this agreement that the County MFA board of directors (Continued to Page 2A) BREAKDOWN OF 1954 COUNTY FUNDS FOR EXTENSION GIVEN According to the County Court, here la a breakdown of funds budgeted by it for use of Extension In the county during 1S54. Part of the funds have already been spent The balance will be frozen as of May 24, unless the firing of County Agent Cal Burgett is eleared up by that time: I1500-.TO Asst. Agent's Pay , 2940- Secret rir' Salary 400 Supplies 22& Telephone, telegraph 200 Postage 1810 Travel 50 Equipment $712fr-Total Car Plunges Off Road When Wheel Comes Off I) Robert J. Walton,' M, of Chicago, suffered several broken ribs and other injuries Saturday at 5:30 p. m. when the ear shown above, which he was driving to Springfield, plunged off Highway 68 94 miles west of Twin Bridges into a 10-foot drainage ditch, According to the State Hlshwav Patrol, tha irM rear wheel of the car had come off. Walton was knocked unconscious, and wa removed from the ear,? which had caught fire, by Ft Wood soldiers. Damage to the new car was estimated at $1900. 11m wen taken to St Francis Hospital by ambulance. .